How to Clean Your Keyboard and Mouse

It has been said that keyboards can get dirtier than toilet seats. I don’t know about that but the amount of dirt, dust, and goo of indefinite origin that gather over the years within a keyboard is considerable.

There is much less dirt in a mouse, but I’m sure the amount will still surprise you, once you open your mouse up.

Necessary Tools

The only tool you need to disassemble your keyboard and mouse is a Phillips screw driver.

You will also need some cleaning tools, especially cotton buds, cotton pads, paper towels, and a bit of window cleaner.

Keyboard and mouse

Taking Them Apart

First of all, disconnect the keyboard and the mouse from your laptop or computer.

Before you start, make sure that you wear clothes that don’t generate static electric charges.

Each keyboard and mouse is different. My Connect-It keyboard has 26 screws in total.

Keyboard disassembled

My Connect-It mouse, on the other hand, is held together only by one screw.

Mouse disassembled

Note

I like to buy these peripherals cheap, so that when they break I don’t hesitate replacing them immediately. The two Connect-It items cost me a grand total of $20 — and that was 2.5 years ago. I only went that high with the price tag, because I needed an illuminated keyboard.

Most of the screws will be on the bottom side of the keyboard. Remember that some screws may be hidden under the quality control passed sticker and the product sticker.

Cleaning and Assembly

Use the cotton pads and cotton buds to clean every nook and cranny in the plastic molds and around the keys. I also found that the mouse wheel gets quite gooey and dirty in two years time.

Be careful not to damage any cables within the peripherals.

After you are done cleaning, make sure that you don’t leave any pieces of cotton on the circuitry.

Dirt

The whole process including a thorough clean-up shouldn’t take more than half an hour.